Automatic lighter for gas water heaters



April 3, 1928; 1,665,088

' H. A. L. FOWLER I AUTOMATIC LIGHTER, FOR GAS WATER HEATERS Filed June24, 192'? I 4 SheetsSheet 1 16 T 1 .zz 14 M r 8 24 K 1&1 15

.12 Zz I k 11 I INVENTOR ATTOR N EY April 3, 1928. 1,665,088

H. A. L. FOWLER AUTOMATIC LIGHTER FOR GAS WATER HEATERS Fileune 24, 19274 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllilll I 3 W I-I 4 j INVENTOR 1 W BY 1% 0WITZSIS(/\ESJ% ATTORNEY April 3, 1928.

H. A. L. FOWLER AUTOMATIC LIGHTER FOR GAS WATER HEATERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed June 24 1927 INVENTOR a 7 I I ATTO R N EY April 3, 1928. v1,665,088

H. A. L. FOWLER AUTOMATIC LIGHTER FOR GKS WATER HEATERS Filed June. 1927I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E U T I i INVENTOR Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

NI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

HARVEY A. I. FOWLER, F VALLEY STREAM, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC LIGHTER FOR GAS WATER HEATERS.' I

Application filed June 24, 1927. Serial No. 201,254.

lhis invention relates to automatic lighters for gaswater heaters.

The primary object ofthed'nvention re sides in the provision of a devicefor attach ment to'thei present gas water heater by which the burner otthe heater may be lighted from a remote part of the housewlthout-necessitating a trip to the cellar or.

kitchen Where most of such heaters are located. I

Anotherobject 1s to provide an automatic device for gas applianceswherein a pilot light is disposed adjacent the burner of the from adistant point and in which asignal is set off to assure an operator thatthe device is in operative conditionto prevent any possibility of thegas being turned on without proper working of the spark, which mightresult in the escape of gas and loss of life by asphyxiation and damageto property by explosion.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic lighter whichmay be ton switch from any room of a house which lights a pilot light.for a period of time necessary to li ht theburner of a gas appliance,after whlch the pilot is automatically extinguished, thus saving theexpense of having a pilot light continuously lighted as is the presentpractice in automatic gas water heaters and by which switch the burnerwhen lighted may be extinguished. A further object of the invention isto provide an automatic lighter for gas water heaters positive and safein operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certainnovel construction and combinatio and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described, areparticularly pointed out in the'appended' claims, and are illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which 5 my improved automatic lighter inposition with respect to a gas water heater.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view appliance and lighted by anelectric spark matic stopnmechanism in a operated by actuating a'pushand pull butcasing is a ll'and pilot' burner 22. Figure 1 is anelevational view showing through the lighting device with the 1 gascontrol valves in a shut off position; if

Figure 3 isan end elevation of the same with the casing in section.Figure 4 is avertical sectional View on the line H of Figure 3.- g YFigure 5 isa vertical transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Figure2.

Figure 6- is a horizontal the line 66 of Figure-2. I

Figure 7 isa detail sectional view showing the position of theburnercontrolvalve when the pilot control valve .isin a. fully open position.

Figure 8 is a similar viewbut showing the osition of the pilot controlvalve when the urner controlvalve is in a fully open position. L t

"Figure 9 is a detail view showing theauto- "position responsive to thecontrol magnets.

Figure 10 is a diagrammaticview ofrthe electric circuits.

Referring more particularly to the draw.- ing, the reference numeral 10designates my improved automatic lighter in its entirety which is shownin the drawing, as applied to the gas burner 11 of agas'water heater 12,used for heating water in a boiler or tank 13.

The device 10 comprises a box li ke casing or housing 14 having aremovable front cover,15,-which-when removed as in Figure 2 of thedrawing, reveals the inner working parts of the device.

Extending through the topwall of the gas supply pipe 16"to which aburner supp y pipe 17 and a pilot burner pipe 18 are connected through aT-couplin 19. A burner control valve 20 is arrang -in the pipe 17 whilea pilot control valve 21 is arranged within the pipe 18, both'of saidsectional view on 23 along thetop thereof and by which the curved tip 24of the pilot burner is lighted.- The tip 24 extends within thegas heater12 to a point above the burner 11 for effectively lighting the burnerwhen the pilot is lighted.

The valve is of the rotary type and includes a rotatable plug having astraight passage or duct 26 therein which is normally disposed in ahorizontal or closed position as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, but

which is moved to a vertical position to register with the passage inthe pipe line 17. The rotary plug 25 is fixedly connected to a shaft 27journalled in a frame structure 28 supported within the casing 14. Fixedto the shaft 27'rearward of the valve 20 is a gear 29, for constantmeshing engagement with an idler gear 30, journalled in the framestructure, and which idler gear also meshes with a gear 31 fixed to ashaft 32, to which the plug 33 of the pilotvalve 21 is connected. Thegear31 is twice the size of the ear 29 so as to rotate at one-half thespec of the gear 29 during the operation of the device. 7 1

The plug 33 of the pilot control valve 21 is provided with rightangularly disposed straight passages 34 and 35 for successivelyestablish ng counication between the gas supply pipe 16 and pilot gaspipe 18. Normalty the passages 34 and are in a position as shown inFigure 2 of the drawings, whereon. the gas supply to the pilot is shutit y For transmittingrotary movement to the plugs of the control valves,T provide an electric motor 36 mounted upon the supporting frame 28,driven shaft 37 of which carries a relatively small gear 38 for constant7 meshing engagement with a larger gear 39 mounted on a counter-shaft 40journalled .in theframe structure. The shaft 40 also carries; a smallergear 41 for constant meshing engagement with a larger gear 42, whichalso carries a smaller gear 44 for meshing engagement -with a gear 45fixed to a counter-shaft 46 arranged in vertical align ment with theaxis of the shaft 40. The

shaft 46 also carries a smaller gear 47 for meshing engagement with arelatively large gear 48 fixed to the-shaft 27 to which the plug 25 ofthe burner control valve is connected to rotate the shaft at arelatively slow rate of speed. A similar motion is transmittedto theplug 33 of the pilot control valve 21 through the gears 29, 30 and 31,and shaft 32. The gears above referred to constitute a gear train andturn in the direction of the arrows in Figure '4 of the drawings, andfor controlling the speed of the same, I provide a. centrifugal governor48 driven by the gear 39 through a gear 49 and shaft/50. 1 V

For the purpose of electrically controlling nets 51 mounted upon theframe structure for actuating one end of a pivoted arm 52,

the other end of which isprovided with an angularly disposed lip 53. Astop 54 normally supports the lever which drops thereon under its ownweight.

Mounted alcove the arm 52 is a rocker shaft 55 having a rocker arm 56extending from oppositesides thereof. Une end of the rocker arm isconnected to one end of a contractile spring 57 which has its other endsecured to the frame structure, which spring normally holds the angularfinger 58 of the rocker arm seated in one of a pair of diametricallyopposed cam notches 59 provided in the periphery of a brake dish 66fixed to the countershaft 44 forwardof the gear 42. The angular lip 53of the arm 52 is disposed in the path of the rocker arm till about to bedescribed to lift the finger 58 out of the engaging notch 59 uponenergia inc" of the solenoids 51 upon starting of the device.

Extending from the rocker shaft 55 atan angle with respect to theroclrer arm 56 is is seated in the notch 64 as the valves and parts arein normal position, but the same successively seats in the other of thenotches during operation of the device. On each operation, to open andclose the gas burner valve the disk 67 rotates one-half revolution.

A motor control switch 68 is disposed in thepath of upward movement ofthe block 62 and which comprises a pair of normally spaced flat springcontacts 69 and 70. A wire 71 leads from the contacts 69 to a terminal 73 on the frame structure 28 while a wire 72 leads from the contact 70 toa terminal on the-motor 36. It will be obvious that when the block movesupward to lift the member 63 out'of the slots 64 and 65, the

contact strip 70 will be moved into engagef ment with the contact 69 andthe motor circuit 74 will automatically close. A battery 75 is arrangedin the circuit 74 with the switch 68 and motor 36.

' For energizing the electro-magnets 51 which control the actuation ofthe motor switch 68 through the arm-- 52, and arm 61, I provide anel'ect-ro-magnet circuit 79 within which a push and pull button switch80 is arranged. A wire 81 leads from one of the terminals of the switch80 to a terminal 82 on the frame structure and which terminal iselectrically connected to the magnets through a conductor 83. Theelectro-magnets are grounded togetherwith the battery Q 75 to form acomplete circuit. From the description of'the electro-magnet circuit, itthe switch '68 in a, closed positionuntil such will be seen that whenthe switch 80 is time as the next slot'65 comes into 'registramoved to aposition to close the circuit 79, tion with the member 63 whereupon itdrops the magnets 51 will beenergized to release therein and accordinglybreaks the motor the member 63 from its engaging-notch 64- circuit.During the interval of a one-quaror 65, and the arm 52 will kick or liftthe ter revolution, the pilot valve plug 33 is finger 58 out of itsengaging cam slot 59 moved to a position to cause 'theport 34 to in thedisk 60. register with the gas supply and to permit For ignitingthepilot light 22 on each' a free flow of as to thepilot burner, while ahalf revolutionof the disk 67 for a predethe plug 25 o the burnercontrol valve 20 termined interval of time, I provide a has moved to apartially open position as I lation to the flame openings of the pilotpassage'o switch arm 84 on the shaft 27, which extends shown in Figure-7of the drawings. When an equal distance from opposite sides therethevalves are in the position as shown in of. A flexible contact strip 85extends into Figure 7, the disk 67 has moved approxithe path of the endsof the switch arm 84 'mately one-eighth of a revolution but upon to beengaged thereby fora brief period" of the further rotation of the sameto bring time twice, on each full revolution of the the notch 65 intoalignment with theflexible member 63, the valves will move to theposition shown in Figure 8 of the drawings,

- The contact 85 is arranged in a circuit 86 with a, spark plug [87spark coil 88, through whereupon the pilot control valve plug is thebattery 75 and ground to the arm '84, moved to a full shut-off positionwhile the The spark plug 87 is of the usual construcburner control plugis in vertical alignment tion and is supported in suitable spaced rewiththe gas supply pipe to allow the free 1? gas 'therethrough. During apeburner 22 by a bracket 89 which has a clamp I'iOd Of 4 thisone-quarter revolution, the

90 thereon b which the spark plug may be switch arm 84 has engagedthecontact 85 respect to an electrode 91 to to close the spark circuitto produce a spark over the flame opening of'the pilot burner sufficientto light the same, as it will be adjusted wit produce a jump spark abovethe flame openings. v p

Also arranged in the spark plug circuit ibly indicate whetherthe sparkcircuit is opmitted to flowto the burner 11 and which crating as thesame 1i hts up during the burner 11 is lighted by'the end of the pilotsparking of the s ark p 11g. burner 24, which extends into the gasheater In operation, t 0 device is normallyin the to a point directlyabove the burner. It is position h wn i Fig re 2, 3, 4, 5 a d 6 presumedthat the disk 67 has made aquarof the drawings, that is,.the valves 29and 21 ter revolution whereupon the flexible memare shut off so that gasis prevented from j 63 has PP d iiltb the x no ch flowing from thesupply pipe 16 to the wh-ile'the finger 58 of the rocker arm 56 burners11 and 22. To start the device in as engaged one of the notches 59 inthe opera ion to light the 'burnerl1, the oper- (Tlsk e pp a is now ShutOff as appreciated that gas has been admitted 'to 86 is an electrictell-tale light 92 which may h pllot burner. In the lighting of the bepositioned adjacent the switch to vispllot burner, a limited amount ofgas isperator closes the switch 80 which may be 10- h p k circuit hasbeen broken y the cated in a room of a house remote .from the m vementof th'switch arm 84 past the conlocation' of the water heater whichcloses tact I IS 0 deslred to t 05 the How the electro-magnetic circuit79 and energizes f g to emain burner 11, whereu on the theelectro-magnets 51. The swit h 80 i switch 80 is again actuated to closet e electurned on and immediately ofi' 'as it is only tro-magnet circuit79, after,which it is imnecessary to energize the electro-magnets for Jmed 1ate1y shut off but during which interval a fraction of a second orenough to cause of tlme, the electro-magnets 51 have again them to pulldown upon one end of the arm been energized to lift 'the flexible member52, which lifts the opposite end to lift the 63 from its engagingnotch'6 5, which closes f arm 61 to close the motor circuit 69- cand themotor circuit through the switch.- 68

"lift the rocker arm 56 out of the notch in whichimparts rotation totheshafts 27 and.

the disk 60. As the switch 68 closes by" 32 to move the plugs ofthev'alves'to origireason of the upward movement of the block 'nalposition ShOWIl'lIl Figure 2 0f h a 62 during the liftin I motor circuitisclose and starts the motor spark circuit is not closed as the switcharm into operation? which in turn imparts rota- 84 does not engage thecontact 85.

tion to the shafts 27 and 32 through the A baffle plate or reflector92is supported operation of the train of gears hereinbefore above thespark plug and thepilot burner mentioned. As the disk 67 starts torotate, to spread tlie flame along the flame open% the flexible member63 will ride the periph ings in the pilot burner 22.

ery' thereof after having been lifted out of While I have describedwhatI-deemto be the notch'64 and which serves to maintain the most desirableembod ment of my 'inven off-the armf 61, the ings. During this quarterrevolution, thetion, it is obvious that many-of the details may bevaried without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention andI therefore do not limit myself to the exact details of constructionherein set forth nor to anything less than the whole of my inventionlimited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is 2- 1. In a device of the class described, thecombination with a gas supply pipe having branch pipes leading therefromto a gas burner an 'pilotslight burner therefor, a

burner control valve arranged in the branch valves have been moved topredetermined positions. i

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a gas supplypipe having branch pipes leading to a gas burner and a pilot lightburner therefor, a burner control valve in the branch pipe leading tosaid gas burner, a pilot control valve in the "branch pipe'leading tothe pilot light burner, each of said control valves having rotatableplugs munication between the gas supply pipe and. the gas burner andpilot light burner, mo-

opening of'the gas burner control valve by 7 with passages therein forestablishing communication between the gas supply pipe and the gasburner and pilot light burner, motor driven means for impartingsimultaneous rotation to the plugs of both of said valves to cause theestablishing of communication between the gas supply pipe and the, pilotbranch pipe throughthe passage in the plug of said pilot control Valveprior to the full opening of the gas burner'control valve byestablishing communication through the passage in the palug thereof withthe gas supply pipe and t e branch leading to the gas burner. L

In a device of the class described, the combination with a gas supplypipe having branch pipes leading to a gas burner and a pilot lightburner therefor, a burner control valve in the branch pipe leading tosaid gas burner, a pilot control valve in the branch Pipe leading to thepilot light burner, each of said control valves having rotatable plugswithpassages therein for establishing comtor drivenmeans for impartingsimultaneous rotation to the plugs of bothof said valves to cause theestabhshing of communication "betwe the gas supply pipe and the -pi10tbranc pipe through the passage in the plug of said pilot control valveprior to the full with a source of electricener a establishingcommunication through the passage in the plug thereof with the gassupply pipe and the branch leading to the gas burner, control meansremotely operated for starting said motor driven means, and automatic'means for stopping said motor driven means when the plugs (if saidvalves reach a predetermined point during their rotation.

4. In a lighter for gas appliances, a gas control valve having arotatable plug, a shaft extending from said plug, 'a disk mounted onsaidshaft and having notches in its peripheral edge, a movable member seatedin one of said notches, an electric motor operatively connected to saidshaft by a gear train, said motor being arranged in an electric circuitwith a source of electric energy, a motor control switch normally openand disposed in the path of movement of said movable member,

and manually operated means for lifting eral edge, a movable memberseated in one 'of said notches, an electric motor operatlvely connectedto said shaft by a gear train, said motor being arranged in an electriccircuit with a source of electric energy, a motor control switchnormally open and disposed in the path of movement of said movablememher, and manually operated means for lifting said member outlof itsengaging notch to actuate said switch to close said motor circuitwhereby said motor will impart rotation to said plug to ,move the sameto open and closed position, said member automatically dropping into thenext notch in said disk during partial rotation thereof to disengagesaid swltch, said manually operated means including electro-magnetarranged in an electriccircuit with a source of electrical energy and acontrol. switch, and meansresponsive ,to the action of saidelectro-magnets upon energizing of'the same for lifting said movablemember out of its engaging notch.

6. In a lighter for gas a pliances, a gas control valve having a rotatae plug, a shaft extendin from-said plug, a disk mounted on said sha tand having notches in its peripheral edge, a movable member seated inone of said-notches, an electric motor operatively connected to saidshaft by a gear train, said motor being arranged ,in an electric circuita motor con-.- trol switch normally open an disposed in the path ofmovement ofsaid movable memberand manually operated means for liftingsaid path of rotation of said contact, said switch member outflof itsengaging notch to actuate arm, contact and spark device being arrangedsaid switch to close said motor circuit where in an electric circuitwith a source of electric by said motor will impart rotation to saidenergy whereby said arm may engage said 5 p ugto move the same to openand closed pocontact to close said circuit to actuate said 15 sition,said member automatically dropping spark device during rotation of saidshaft. into the next notch in said disk during par- In testimony whereofI have afiixed my tial rotation thereof to disengage said switch,signature. an electric spark device, a switch arm mount- 10 ed on saidshaft, a contact disposed in the HARVEY A. L. FO WLER.

